BankNewport Vice President, Community Relations, Kathleen Charbonneau recently joined first grade students from Cranston-Calvert Elementary School in Newport for a visit to the Norman Bird Sanctuary’s Third Beach Education Center in Middletown.  “Sea Life Safari” was the focus of the students’ interactive instruction.  BankNewport extended a $5,000 grant to fund transportation for Newport elementary and middle school students to participate in environmental education programming at the Sanctuary throughout the school year. 

The Sanctuary's education programs are organized around life and earth science topics currently taught in Rhode Island schools.  When students participate in Sanctuary programs, they are encouraged to make observations, ask questions, conduct investigations using "real" science tools and skills, and draw conclusions from their experiences. Live animals, and interesting natural items, such as feathers, nests, minerals, and preserved specimens are often included to emphasize a topic.

The Norman Bird Sanctuary is a non-profit nature center, located on the southeast corner of Aquidneck Island.  Since 1949, the Sanctuary has opened more than three hundred twenty-five acres of natural land and seven miles of trails for the enjoyment and education of the public.  In addition to the beautiful property, the Sanctuary’s small nature museum and handicapped accessible classroom offer school groups attractive spaces for science learning.  Contact the Sanctuary at (401) 846-2577 for more information.

BankNewport, founded in 1819 and currently holding $1 billion in assets, is an FDIC-insured savings bank and is a subsidiary of the Mutual Holding Company, OceanPoint Financial Partners, MHC.  Along with its financial partner, OceanPoint Insurance Agency, Inc., BankNewport is proud to serve the financial needs of customers from banking and insurance offices located throughout Rhode Island.